One Breath
by a red burn
Summary: Things are changing between Declan and Miranda :o]Last chapter added COMPLETE
1. Part One

Title: One Breath.  
  
Author: Andréa  
  
Summary: The feelings between Miranda and Declan are changing.  
  
Rating: PG-13, just to be safe. It might change later.  
  
Category: D/M romance, UST, Angst  
  
Spoilers: Small mentions of a few episodes.   
  
Disclaimer: They do not belong to me.   
  
Author's note: This is my first Mysterious Ways fic, also English isn't my native language so please, be nice :-) grammar mistakes will be inevitable. I have watched it since from the beginning and I always loved the show, especially Miranda, she was my fav. She was so cute and liked Declan so I always thought about them together and now I wrote a fic :-) Too bad the show is over sigh  
  
Hope you enjoy and please review.  
  
She clutched her clipboard tighter to her chest as if trying to make herself known by the nervous move and breathed in deeply as he walked closer to her. She was acting just like the geek schoolgirl she always was back in high school. Always trying to be less geek, to seem a little less smart, trying to be the cool girl, anything that could make the popular boy she was into to notice her.   
  
It never worked. She was a geek for God's sake... nothing would change that. Nothing would make any boy look at her and think how hot she was, or how cool she was. She was a geek and that's all she'd always be. Just a weird face in the crowd of school. The one that'd always sit alone to eat her lunch.  
  
This time she wasn't trying to show off to any stupid popular cute boy from school. This time she wasn't even showing herself off. This time she was just trying to be her old self, muttering stupid small words, nodding or just being completely mute as the professor came to her. She was just quite and polite and helped him when he asked her to.   
  
She would just do anything to be near him, to please him.   
  
It had started just as a normal friendship, a relationship like any other. They were just greetings in the morning and when they met each other, a few encounters now and then when she was working for him, but before she noticed, she was spending some of her free time with him and Peggy, meeting him between classes, talking to him as if he was one of her college friends. Now she was helping him with his cases, spending basically all her free time with him, hanging with him and Peggy, walking, talking, even working together with both.   
  
She worked for him, she was his assistant after all, but that didn't excuse her spending all her time with them, him. Her being in his office, being with him all the time she was, was understandable and she was actually grateful for it, for she didn't really need an excuse to be around him.   
  
And after all this time she just could not - not - do that anymore. She couldn't see herself working somewhere else; see herself hanging with friends of her age, with the people she went to classes with. Her entire life seemed to be revolved around them.   
  
Then suddenly she saw her feelings changing towards Declan. She didn't know what she could do to stop it; they seemed to live by their own will. She didn't have power over them and just couldn't stop her feelings from growing more and more. She wasn't sure of what she felt, she only knew she had some kind of attraction to him; not physical because it was something that made her legs turn into jelly by the only fact of his presence, of feeling her heart flutter by the simple smell of his scent and made her tremble and feel nervous when he talked to her. It wasn't the 'whoa, what a body' kind of thoughts, but something more like a schoolgirl crush.   
  
She often caught herself wondering if he thought she was beautiful, if she even thought of her at all. If he thought she was smart and funny and someone nice to hang out with. If she wasn't too boring with her talking - as if she talked a lot - but whether he was or not interested in her talk.   
  
There was that time when there was that Emma. He was so interested in her, he spent so much time with her that it was as if he didn't have friends anymore. It was like as if she and Peggy weren't important anymore. What scared her the most wasn't the fact that he had another girl but that she would lose him forever, even as a friend. She knew then that he really mattered to her, that she cared so much about him that if she had to forget her feelings just to have him near, she would do that; she would do anything to stop him from going.   
  
But he was a teacher and even if they got to have anything - even IF he for some reason felt something for her - the university would never ever allow it. It didn't matter how their relationship worked, if it got beyond friendship, it'd never be allowed. She'd have, somehow, to make her feelings for him go away.  
  
She didn't want it, though. 'I wish I could just say it.' She thought with a heavy sigh, looking directly at Declan.   
  
"Hey." He said with a small smile.   
  
"Hey." She said back as a smile of her own formed over her lips. She just couldn't stop it, when it came down to Declan she have no control anymore. She knew her eyes were probably shinning with glee as he looked only at her and not to any other student in the crowd. "Oh, here," she said taking the clipboard from her body and grabbing a stack of papers. "The tests you asked me to run? Got the results today." She handed the papers to him and smiled again.  
  
"Oh, thanks. That was quickly."   
  
"I had nothing big to do, so..." She shrugged the compliment off.  
  
"Yeah. Thanks." He said again. "Bye." He said as he heard the ring to the students go to their respective classes.   
  
"Bye." She replied sighing again and watched as he walked further from her.   
  
Sometimes she wished she wasn't in college, but then she wouldn't have met him, but then again, if she wasn't she wouldn't have to see the scene playing before her. It just didn't have a way out. She just couldn't get herself a little normalcy. Why couldn't she just meet some nice guy, date and have a boyfriend like any other college girl?   
  
She looked down shyly and also angry with herself for not being able to wait a few more minutes instead of skipping the end of her class to come to Declan with more results. She could have just finished that stupid math class because at least she wouldn't have seen him practically flirting with the new blond English professor. It was just a friendly talk, they were both talking - too close, her brain screamed, though - and nothing big was going on.   
  
But why did she felt as if her heart was being ripped into shreds? Why couldn't she have waited ten more minutes for the class to be finished to come here? Why, for goodness' sake couldn't she have just waited? And why was she freaking overreacting so badly over this?  
  
She silently cursed herself as she turned to go and leave that place before any of them could see her and make her the most embarrassed person in the world. Unfortunately, the world just didn't seem to be on her side today, for she tripped on something - probably the rug, though she couldn't really tell. It could have been on her own foot and she would not know - and let her clipboard with all the papers fall to floor and with the noise Declan and the blond professor looked to see what was going on.   
  
"Miranda? Are ok?" Declan asked worried she might be hurt as he walked to her then crouched down to help her gather the papers.   
  
"Yeah..." She breathed out, averting his eyes as best as she could, pretending to be engrossed by gathering the papers. "I - I didn't see the... um, the - rug and tripped..." God, she didn't mean to stutter but he just did that to her, especially now that she had embarrassed herself the same way she was trying so hard not to.  
  
"Do you need any help?" The other professor asked though her voice didn't sound as if she wanted to help at all.   
  
"No, that's ok." Declan said, smiling up at her. "We're about done."   
  
"Ok, so if there's nothing I can do I'll leave. I got a class in about five minutes." She smiled too and as if there was no one else in the room, she winked at Declan and left.   
  
Miranda, unfortunately saw that and almost got her eyes white, trying so hard to turn them, doing anything possible to not see that flirty blond bimbo and, even without meaning to, she grabbed the papers from Declan's hand harshly, getting up and stepping away from him.   
  
Of course Declan noticed her 'proximity' and took a step closer to her, but stubbornly she took another back. "Hey, Miranda, what..." He started but was quickly cut off by her.  
  
"I got the rest of the results you were waiting for." She said rushed and handed him the papers as she still tried to look anywhere but his eyes.   
  
Instead of taking the papers she was giving him, Declan put both hands on her face, turning so he could look in her eyes. She had such beautiful eyes; he had noticed them the first time they met. It was a blue so deep and pure he sometimes go lost staring at them. He had never seen someone with eyes as blue as hers. There was this gleam in her eyes that seemed to make them glisten even more. It brought out the color in her eyes and made it brighter.   
  
He held her face in place as he stared at her, locking their eyes firmly. "What's wrong?"   
  
Then she bit her bottom lip very slightly and stared back at him without saying a single word. Her eyes glistened and for a second, he thought she had tears forming, but she didn't cry. She kept biting her lip and tried to keep the tears she didn't know why were coming from getting out of her eyes. "There's nothing wrong." She whispered, thought she was whispering more to herself, it seemed.   
  
"Miranda..."  
  
"I gotta go." She whispered again and before the tears could really find their way out and embarrass her more than she already was, she walked out of there as quick as she could after shoving the papers in Declan's hands and he watched her leave with a very stunned and confused expression on his face.   
  
To be continued, if you review that is. :o) 


	2. Part Two

One Breath 2  
  
To disclaimer and such see part one.   
  
Enjoy if you wish and review of course.  
  
"Hey." Peggy greeted Declan as she entered his office.   
  
Declan lifted his head up from the bright computer screen and gave her a weak smile. "Hey, Peggy." He greeted back not too excited.  
  
"Is something wrong?"   
  
"No, nothing's wrong."   
  
Peggy narrowed her eyebrows, staring firmly at Declan's hard expression as her shrink side kicked in. "It doesn't seem like that."   
  
He sighed deeply, pondering whether he should get into this with her or not. He really didn't want to for his more stubborn side was sure he would work everything out by himself but in the other hand he wanted some friendly advice. "It's just..." He closed his eyes and tilted his head back then rubbed his face as images of Miranda came running through his head. "It's Miranda. She's been acting so weird lately."   
  
"Really?" Peggy asked with a 'duh' tone in her voice, trying to see if he didn't know already how Miranda was.   
  
Declan rolled his eyes, wondering if it was a good idea to share his thoughts of Miranda with someone else. "No, I mean, different from her odd self."   
  
"Do you know if there's something disturbing her?" Peggy asked as she walked over to him and sat in the chair across from Declan.   
  
"Well, it's not like as if she will talk to me. You know how she doesn't like to talk about herself."   
  
"Well, yeah. But you could at least try." She said with a smile. "How has she been acting?"   
  
Declan shrugged as if the answer was too obvious or maybe unknown to him. "I think she's been avoiding me."  
  
"Why's that? Did you do something to her?"   
  
"Hey, I haven't done anything to her. Why am I always the guilty one?"   
  
"Because you're always the guilty one."   
  
"Oh, please..." Declan groaned, sighing heavily and running a hand through his hair. Then suddenly he stopped and looked directly at Peggy. "Do you think it was something I did?"   
  
Peggy barely could hold back the smile that was threatening to break across her face, her mouth turning up just a little bit, almost imperceptibly. "I don't know. Not when I was around."   
  
"I don't think so either."   
  
"Look, why don't you just go talk to her? Try, ok?" She said getting up from the chair and looked down at her wrist. "I gotta go now, but when I'm back I wanna know how things are going." She turned and before she reached the door she looked back at Declan and pointed a finger at him. "You talk to her."   
  
Declan sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll do that."   
  
"Good." She waved at him and soon left his office.  
  
She let out a breathy sigh and let her chin rest on her opened palm as her elbow supported the weight of her head on her hand. She stared at the bubbled mixing over the lab table as the orange content boiled.   
  
She was bored as hell.   
  
She never thought she'd be free enough to be bored. She, Miranda Fiegelstein with nothing to do to the point of getting bored was something extremely rare of seeing. Herself was impressed by that for she had already finished her paper and the tests she had to run for Declan and now she was only mixing stuff to see what would happen. Maybe if she exploded the lab she would finally get quite.   
  
Since the scene in Declan's office she had been avoiding him as much as she could, only exchanging the so much needed polite gestures. The less she faced him, the fewer her chances of opening up too much and saying what she didn't want to say. He would ask what was wrong with her and if he insisted too much she knew she would end up telling him everything.   
  
She sighed again and sat up straight, then ran both hands over her face trying, unsuccessfully, to make her boredom go away. Seeing she had no other option than to find something productive to do, she got up and turned off the fire under the vial then, when she turned to grab her jacket her face was greeted with Declan's chest.   
  
"Hey hey." He chuckled out putting both hands over her shoulders to stop her backward fall. "You ok?"  
  
Startled more by seeing Declan so close than to have bumped into him, she fumbled with the words for several seconds before anything could come out. "Yeah, I'm fine." She mumbled and walked out of his arms. Then she focused on putting her jacket on instead of facing him.   
  
"So, I... um, wanted to... apologize."   
  
Miranda stilled her arms and turned heavily on her heels to face him completely stunned. "What?"   
  
"Well, I must have done something to you, because otherwise you wouldn't seem to be mad at me."   
  
She brought one hand up, her fingers softly drawing circles on the side of her head, trying to stop a headache from coming and sighed seeing she had intentionally hurt him. "You didn't do anything wrong." She whispered.   
  
"It would be a lot easier to believe if you weren't trying so hard to find the words and were actually looking at me."   
  
"Look, I'm just not feeling very well lately, ok?" Even with his words she still didn't look at him. She had lifted her head and her eyes were on his face, but she wouldn't let them meet his own. "As far as I know I'm doing my job, ain't I?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"So I don't know why you are so worried."   
  
"Because I care about you Miranda. You were all weird and you didn't do as much as exchange a look with me. What did you want me to think?"   
  
"It's not you, all right? So just drop it..."   
  
"I can't. Not as long as you are like that."   
  
Miranda opened her mouth, the words already formed in her head but as soon as they touched her tongue, they died and she couldn't say anything, so she just closed her mouth and looked at him. She had to make him let go of the issue and if she didn't give him what he wanted he would never leave her alone, so she did just that.   
  
She forced a smile over her lips and pretended a pleased face; maybe then he'd believe her. "I'm fine, ok? Really. It was just..." She bit her lip and thought of something that would finally shut him up and as soon as the 'something' crossed her mind, she smiled again. "PMS, I guess." She said, crossing her arms and wondering if she had really said that.   
  
"Oh..." He let out with a small, embarrassed breath as a dumbfounded expression came on. "Hmm, ok.. then." He ridiculously stuttered and tried really hard to find something for his hands to do. "So... are we... um, good?"   
  
"Yeah, of course."   
  
"Ok, good." He nodded slightly and tried to hide the red shadow painting his stubbled cheeks. "Um, I'm going now." He said pointing the door as if she was oblivious that that was through where he would leave the lab as he walked to that same way.   
  
"Okay." She turned to watch him go with an amused smile playing over her lips.   
  
TBC... if you review :o] 


	3. Part Three

One Breath 3  
  
To disclaimer and such see part one.  
  
She let out a big puff of air and leaned in to rest her elbows on her knees, supporting her head with one of her hands. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say or how to react. Thinking of it, it all seemed so clear, so easy, but actually doing it was the difficult thing. And specially being around him made it all the more difficult. She couldn't think straight with his cologne filling her nose and seeming to go direct to her heart, sending it some kind of signal, making it beat twice as it should.   
  
She was drawn to him. His beauty was as great as his personality. He had such a wonderful personality; she knew that because that was exactly what attracted her in the first place. Like he had said before, he could be pushy and a slob, but living with him was exciting, he was always challenging and never boring. She had never met anyone like him, anyone with his vivacity. He was different and she liked it.   
  
The way he made her feel... God, no one had ever made her feel like that, not even any of the boyfriends she had been with - not that they were many. He managed to find a spot inside of her and make her feel like no one. She'd never felt this before. Before she met him. She was closer to him, an older anthropology professor than to any other class mate, than to any other person in the university - or out of it.   
  
She just couldn't make out what exactly it was. She knew she felt something for him because, God, she was crushing over him, she was completely, uncontrollably crushing over him. Sometimes, when she was looking at him all she wanted to do was to take him and kiss him right where they were. To lock his lips with her, feel the soft pressure of wet flesh against wet flesh and hear him telling her he felt it too. That it wasn't just a trick of her brain, that it was there, it was real - whatever the 'it' was.   
  
Sometimes she was so silly that she wanted him only to say she was beautiful. That he thought she was beautiful in her own weird way, but beautiful nonetheless. Maybe one day...  
  
But her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the soft melody of his voice, "What are you doing here alone?"   
  
She looked up, meeting his sparkling soft eyes and sweet smile as it crept upon his face. She shrugged and looked down again. "Just thinking."   
  
"Really?" He said with the mocking tone of someone that didn't know an obvious fact and let a half chuckle out as he set beside her on the edge of the bench so he could face her. "You've been thinking a lot lately."   
  
"I have a lot in my mind." She replied with a small unnecessary whisper. It wasn't all a lie. She had been thinking really and nearly all of thoughts were about Declan. And her. And to be honest with herself she knew she couldn't be with him, she knew all the complications of having any kind of relationship with a professor of the same university she went to, the weirdness it would be, the gossip that would spread like fire through the university, but her heart seemed to not agree with her head...  
  
Figures...  
  
If only she could get they both to the same place...  
  
"What do you say of coming to lunch with me and Peggy? I mean, since you're not busy." He said with a wink. She couldn't help but smile at this. He had such a way to make her feel at easy that it was funny sometimes. "Whoa, what is that, huh? Is that a smile? Is that a smile?" He joked but with clear amusement in his voice as he pointed a male finger at her face.   
  
"Stop it." She spat his finger away faking she was angry, but failing obviously by his amused expression.   
  
He chuckled quietly trying to keep it all in him, not to make her shy. "So, what do you say? You up for a good lunch? I'll buy."   
  
She rolled her eyes and smiled again, but before he could mock her about that again, she quickly put that turn of lips back on its place. "Ok, fine. I'll go."   
  
"Good. C'mon." He got up and stretched a hand to her, which she took and very gracefully let him help her up, then they went to meet Peggy and go have that good lunch.  
  
"I'm not going!"   
  
"Come on, Miranda, please." Declan begged with those pleading puppy eyes of his as he stared at Miranda's pale porcelain face. "It's just for a couple of days, you won't even miss a class."   
  
"Declan..." Miranda sighed, rubbing two fingers over each tample, pleading with her own eyes for him to just leave it alone. Then she brought her hands back to the keyboard and re-started typing. "I can't." She said matter of factly as one hand stopped the typing to wave pointelessly at the computer.   
  
"It'll be just a couple of days."   
  
"I have a paper to finish."   
  
"Miranda, your paper can wait for two days." He stated as if it was obvious but to Miranda doing somehting else when she could be doing her papers was like impossible to happen. Miranda was one of never having fun, of doing her things -now- and -if- she had a free time, then -maybe- she'd cut loose. And it wasn't even as if they would be having fun, they'd be working.   
  
"No, Declan, it can't. The last time I missed my deadline, I don't want anything like that happening again!" Her voice was just an octave louder than her normal calm, bland voice. Declan had read in the newspaper that morning about miracles happening in a church in Los Angeles and of couse he wanted to go there and check that out and, of course, he wanted to drag Miranda and Peggy with him.... hold on.... "Go you and Peggy, ok?"   
  
"She can't go, she has some things to do this weekend."   
  
Miranda stilled her fingers and looked up at him, to where he was stading over the monitor. "Oh, so she has things to do and you leave it at it, but me? Oh, no, Miranda can't be busy, she has to go with you to wherever you go, it doesn't matter she can or cannot."   
  
"Oh, Miranda, don't be so dramatic... It's not like that..." He said rolling his eyes.   
  
"Oh, really?" She said back seriously, staring at him.   
  
He stared back at her, wondering what she meant by that. Did he push her too much? Did he actually drag her with him? Because, the way she put it... "Well.... I... I didn't know it was some kind of..." He was quite for a while then straghtened up and tried to smiled a bit. "Well, I can go by myself. It's not like I really need you..." He muttered the last sentence as if trying to convince himself that he really didn't need her to go with him, that he could investigate this by himself without the help of such a intelligent woman, without the sight of her every day. "Yeah." He breathed out and walked out of the lab.   
  
"Declan..." Miranda called after him but with no effect for he was already gone. Damn it, she had hurt him, she could see it in his eyes as he looked back down at her, she could hear it in his voice. She had hurt him pretty bad by saying she was tired of him, because really, that was what her words had meant. And that was for sure what he understood.   
  
She had hurt him and now she needed to get things right....   
  
She stopped typing and sighed loudly realizing what she'd have to do. Damn it... now she had to leave her paper for a couple of days and go home pack...   
  
TBC... 


	4. Part Four

One Breath 4

* * *

The second her eyes met the interior of the hotel room a smile, which she couldn't stop from coming, formed over her lips. It was even more beautiful then the outside and even more than she had thought. It was very simple yet so full of beauty. And the best thing was that her window was direct to the sea.   
  
She threw her bag over the queen sized bed and ran to the window. She smiled again when she saw the beautiful scenario playing before her. The deep blue ocean shinning from the sun reflected how her sparlking blue eyes were shinning and how those tiny people lay on the sand, taking a sun bath, the sun brightly sinning down on them so different from Oregon.   
  
Since she her feet had touched LA ground she felt a wonderful vibe as if the city had its own power, its own beauty, as if it drawn people with the welcoming atmosphere. She saw herself amazed by this city. And it wasn't even as if she had never been to LA, because she had. She had come here with her parents for a visit and that time she had felt that feeling for LA. But it was just... She could leave here and not miss a thing from Oregon.   
  
... of course if the university and everyone in it - specially Declan- came with her.   
  
"Oh boy!" Declan exclamed standing beside her and looking with wide eyes at the sight before him. "Do you want to switch bedrooms with me?"   
  
Miranda looked at him and gave him a bright smile. "I thought yours had view to the sea too."   
  
"No, I got the one in front of yours." He said staring at her. He was amused by seeing her smile because he almost never saw Miranda smiling giving a big smile and this time it made him melt. He never thought someone had such a beautiful smile like the one she was giving him. He never thought she had such a beautiful smile.   
  
"Too bad." She teased with the same mocking voice as a eight year old girl would use to when showing off her brand new Barbie doll, and she went back looking outside.   
  
Declan stared at Miranda with pure amazedness in his eyes, still in pure shock of seeing her beautiful smile. Was Miranda actually mocking him? That was completely new to Declan and sure as hell he wouldn't miss any single second of that. " 'Too bad' " He a second muttered later with a ridiculous attempt to mimick her voice.   
  
She took her eyes from the ocean and looked back at him, flashing Declan one of the most wonderful smiles he had ever seen. "Jealous?"   
  
What was it with oceans and beaches that made Miranda smile so much? If he knew bringing her to LA would make that hidden smiles come out he would have brought her here long before. He found himself paralyzed by her porcelain doll expression as he focused on her smiling face. If he was jealous? No way, but sure enough he was amazed. It seemed that the sunshine inside Miranda had come out with the warmth of California. "Nah..." He shook his head with a smile of his own. "Just..." He shrugged, not really certain of what to say.   
  
"I was just kidding." She said and walked away fom the window to the bed, where her small bag was. "So, what do we do now?"   
  
Declan turned from the sound of her voice and walked to where she was. "He go talk to the people in the church."   
  
"Okay." She said nodding and at Declan's own nod, she followed him out.

* * *

It was just before lunch on Sunday when Declan finally got convinced that nothing miraculous was really happening, but just believers too much faithful making a big deal of small coincidences that both Declan and Miranda were sure was nothing important. Now, since they had the afternoon free for their plane would only leave at six Declan decied to take Miranda for a walk along the beach, what seemed she was enjoying a lot.  
  
They were walking side by side enjoying the sun when suddenly mirana decided to cross the sidewalk to walk on the sand but instead of reaching her purpose she was greeted with the loud sound of a bike horn right about to hit her and if it wasn't for Declan being quick and pushing her fromt the way she'd have been hurt.   
  
Startled by the sudden movement, the guy on the bike tried to get out of the way to not hit Miranda just as Declan pushed her, and he ended falling out of the bike. Miranda looked at him puzzled and relieved of not being... hit by a bike. Preocuppied for the guy's well being she struggled out of Declan's arms and walked to the guy, bending down and helping him to get up.   
  
Declan stayed where he was, looking at Miranda as she pulled the guy up and checked him to see if he was hurt. He watched as she tucked her hair behind her ear as it glistened through the hot Los Angeles sunglight. Her beauty took him aback, it always had and he was sure it always would. She was simply a work of art, a piece of God's art. Seeing her shining like that under the sun, the light covering her as if she was some kind of saint, or angel made unknown feelings he had never felt in his entire life before suddenly come inside of him.   
  
And he had no clue of where all that had come from...   
  
He watched as the guy from the bike smiled politely and apologizing at Miranda. She nodded and replied something, but Declan couldn't really know what was it because he only saw her mouth moving, but didn't hear any sound from it even if he was standing two steps from her, he was just so focused on looking at her... No, actually he wasn't looking, he was staring. He had no intentions to, but for some reason, suddenly Miranda was the most fascinating thing in this damn entire world.   
  
Why, suddenly was he thinking like that about her? A couple of minutes later the only thoughts about Miranda were how she would help him with this case, that he could use a brilliant mind like hers. That she was beautiful... He had thought she was beautiful before, but nothing with a sexual or attractive kind of way, only that she was a good looking young woman.   
  
And now, suddenly....   
  
But he didn't really care at the moment, all he could think about was her. How beautiful she looked under the sunlight, how greacefully she moved as she put her hands on her hips and watched as the guy on the bike went away and turend to him with a puzzled expression. How her lips curled into a pretty, small, rare smile as she made sure he was ok. How her hair rebely floated around her head as the warm breeze blew. How her slim finger gently tucked her hair behind her ear once again, how her ocean blue eyes shone just like the sun that was bathing the sea right behind them... the smell of the sea...  
  
"Hello, Declan!"   
  
Her loud voice calling his name startled him out of his thoughts and he focused on the person before her instead of her beauty. "What??" He asked surprised, but was still staring at her, even if he tried hard not to.   
  
Soon she was walking back towards him and she giggled as she did so and for some reason it was the most amazing giggle he had ever heard, he was surprised he could react so much over a simple giggle because really, he had never thought anything special about a giggle. "Are you ok?"   
  
"Yeah... I'm fine. And You were the one about to be hit, are YOU ok?"   
  
"Yes, I'm ok. My personal prince in shinning armor saved me." She chuckled out and winked at him, then turned around and went back walking.   
  
Declan stood there, confusion all over his face from Miranda's sudden flirty attitude. He watched as she walked away from him, paralyzed.   
  
There was really something really big about LA and Miranda...  
  
TBC... 


	5. Part Five

**One Breath 5**

To disclaimer and such see part 1

MW  
  
Peggy waved at Declan as he left her office. She couldn't stop chuckling as Declan told her about his small trip to Los Angeles and Miradan's 'strange' behavior, as Declan had put it. He said he was surprised by the things she did down there but still he was very pleased to see that side of Miranda, a side that no one probably ever saw.   
  
She knew things were changing between Declan and Miranda because she could see it and it wasn't because she was a psychiatrist but just because it was becoming too obvious. Declan's feelings about Miranda were becoming stronger and more obivous than usually. She knew he might feel something for Miranda when she was in the hospital, how he used the cloth to save her life instead of saving other millions of lives.   
  
'She may be strong enough to sacrifice herself, but I'm not strong enough to let her go.' That's what he had said and it wasn't for his words that she started to suspect about his true feelings, because she was sure he would do the same for her the same way she would save him if it was needed, but it was his voice, the sad tone in it, the true meaning behind his words. How he was battling within himself to decid what he should do even if deep down he already knew his decision. That was what made his feelings for Miranda for sure to her, what made her start to wonder if they were meaning to be together.   
  
Then there was Emma and all that situation. She knew Miranda was hurting, and a lot because Peggy herself was feeling deeply hurt. It was as if Declan was choosing Emma over them, over his friends, two people he had a relationship for a long time. He was choosing Emma, his 'girlfriend' who he thought was the one for him just because of what he supposedly felt.   
  
It was selfish to tihnk like that, she knew that, but she couldn't stop herself. She couldn't stop her pain from boiling up inside, especially after what Miranda told her. Miranda never talked about her feelings, about herself and Peggy could only imagine how much she was feeling, how much was boiling inside herself to open up with Peggy like that.   
  
Miranda already loved him and it'd be only a matter of time for him to realized his own feelings.   
  
Peggy was sure it would happen any time because after so long trying to ignore her feelings, they would end up bursting up and Miranda would just tell Declan everything. And if she was really luck and Declan wasn't a blockhead he would see what he truly felt and would let her know too, he would make up for all the days Miranda suffered because of Emma.   
  
And truth be told, even if it hurt Peggy she would be happy for them when the time came. She'd be happy for both because she had the chance to be happy with her loved one and now was Miranda and Declan's turn.

MW   
  
"Ok, so maybe he..." Declan started but was quickly cut off by Miranda's sigh.  
  
"Come on, Declan... Give yourself a break, you've already thought of anything..."   
  
He stopped pacing and turned to face her with a surprised expression on his face. "Are you whining? Why are you whining?"   
  
"I'm not!"   
  
"Are too."   
  
"I'm not!" She shot back and before he could speak again she held up a hand stopping him. "Look, this is getting us nowhere, ok?"   
  
Declan put both hands on his hips and kept staring at her. She always had a away to get away with things and what made him want to pick on her even more was the false angry expression she always held on, pretending she was hurt or didn't want to keep that up. It only made it all the more fun. "You were whining." He said with a big grin.  
  
Miranda sighed and gave up, turning his back to him, going back to face the photos on his desk. Sometimes it was just too hard to be around Declan. It was always a fight within herself because sometimes all she wanted was to run away as far as she could go yet all she wanted was to just throw herself in his arms and never let go.   
  
Declan watched for a few seconds as she picked up one photo and held it closer to her eyes, having a better look then he walked to the desk and stood next to her, trying to peek at the photo she was holding and when she gave a little 'mmm' and her eyebrows narrowed he looked at her face and asked, "What?"   
  
"You know," she started and turned her head just slightly so she could take a peek at him, "Maybe these are fake."   
  
"Yeah, fake." He said letting out a scoffing sound.   
  
"Well, yeah." She said with a breath and with more conviction after hearing his disbelieving tone. "It's really easy to make them. I just need to get them tasted to know for sure." Then she went back looking at the picture.   
  
Declan leaned closer to her, his cheek nearly touching hers as he tried to look at the picture in her hand. He had gotten so close to her that he actually could feel the soft perfume on her neck mixing with her female personal scent and it was wonderful, it was too damn good. He could not stop himself from breathing in really hard and trying to lock some of her scent in his mind for future use. He could not stop himself from closing his eyes and enjoying the unusual proximity of their faces.   
  
"So, what do you think?" She asked suddenly, startling him. She had said with such a calm voice that he thought whether she didn't feel his closeness or if she was only doing the hell of a good job trying to hide it.   
  
"What?" He whispered and when his warm breath touched her skin half second after he had said that she finally realized how close he was standing and out of pure reflex she turned her head to make sure she was right and her face and almost collided with his. Startled by this so sudden proximity her brain just shut down and didn't seem to be working anymore. She was frozen; she just didn't know what to do.   
  
"If... um... you-you want these... tasted." She struggled with the words, stuttering like she had never done before as her eyes left his to stare openly at his lips. God, their mouths were so close that if she leaned only a little bit their lips would touch... Her body tingled and her eyes locked on him and only him.   
  
"I..." He started but as Miranda he just couldn't find the words. He looked at her and that's when he realized it. It was all clear to him; with the simple look at the unusual beautiful woman in front of him he finally realized he had indeed feelings for her, feelings stronger than the ones he was so miserably failing to understand.  
  
He couldn't help but find himself amazed when he saw Miranda closing her eyes as he leaned closer. Was she actually going to kiss him? Just like that, she just closed her eyes and was waiting for him to touch her lips with his own? And he would. If she was so willing to do that like this he would just press his mouth onto hers and feel the sweetness of her taste. God, they were so close that her breath was going straight into his mouth; he was breathing her own breath.   
  
That was it, it would finally happen, he would finally do what he had wanted to do for so long, he would finally kiss Miranda. But then, as if someone had just thrown cold water over them, both of them jumped away from each other startled by the sudden voice interrupting them. "So what's up? You called like..." Peggy entered his office unaware of the couple inside it but when her eyes caught the embarrassed looks on both faces, she stopped talking and looked puzzled at them. "Hey."   
  
"Hey." Miranda and Declan said at once in a very rushed voice.  
  
Peggy stood there just inside the door, staring at them trying to understand what was going on. She now, was very aware of their proximity; of how close they were standing and how nervous Miranda seemed. She was uncontrollably trying to find something useful - or not - for her hands to do while Declan stared at everywhere but Miranda and Peggy.   
  
It was obvious that something had happened between them and the thought of them getting into another fight quickly crossed her mind but knowing how vague Miranda was and how much she liked talking about herself she just dismissed the thought and decided to pretend that nothing happened. If they wanted to talk about it they would, otherwise she wouldn't push. It was Declan's job to do all the pressure.   
  
"So," She started and immediately Declan and Miranda looked up, at her, waiting Peggy to speak. "Declan, you told me to come here ASAP. What is it?"   
  
Declan looked obviously relieved that she chose to not talk about it and sighed quietly as he cast a quickly glance at Miranda. "I found some things I wanted you to look and give me your professional opinion."   
  
"Sure." She said and walked to where they were standing and discreetly stepped between them. Declan took one of the photos in his hand and showed it to her as he leaned closer and Miranda did the same on Peggy's other side. As Declan spoke Miranda cast stolen quick looks at him and when she wasn't looking he did the same and they talked about the pictures and what that meant.   
  
At least for now they were ok.

MW  
  
TBC... :o] and two more chapters to go! Yah!


	6. Part Six

One Breath 6  
  
To disclaimer and such see part one.

MW-MW  
  
As soon as they were done and Peggy was about to leave Miranda found an excuse to leave as well. She was just too stunned by what happened to stay alone with Declan and face him. And what the hell happened? My God, what had happened to them? They would have kissed if it wasn't for Peggy, not that Miranda really cared because, Jesus, kissing Declan was all she seemed to think about for the past few days - or, err, a little longer.   
  
She didn't know what stopped her from telling what she felt for him. Well, to be honest she knew, she was just too scared. She had been feeling like this for him for a long while, even before all that 'Emma situation'. Seeing him with someone, even as happy as he was, it was painful; it really hurt her. Seeing how his eyes lit up when she walked into the room he was, the looks he gave her, the secret smiles, and the touches... She had lost count of the times that happened. It was so hard to witness all that while she wished she was the one receiving all that.   
  
But she was scared...  
  
She was scared of rejection; that he would turn his back on her, push her away - even knowing that Declan would never do that. That he wouldn't like her the way she like him. That her feelings wouldn't be returned just left there with no one to accept it. She was scared of her heart being torn, especially of how strong she felt for him. She was just too damn scared. The fear blocked her path and froze her brain.   
  
And now... now it was changing, wasn't it? Wasn't he feeling differently towards her? Wasn't he changing? Wasn't he... or maybe it was all a sick game her brain was playing with her, maybe it was something she had eaten that was now effecting her thoughts. But, why, oh God, why it was effecting her so much? They were alone in his office, standing too damn close and it was normal that such attraction would happen, wasn't it? He was a man after all, and men tend to think with their second head when it came to women, but...  
  
Miranda ran her fingers through her short silky hair and rubbed her face with her hands. There was that familiar stinging in her eyes and she fought against herself not to cry. Why couldn't she just be normal? Why couldn't she hang out with friends of her own age, with people she had classes with; why couldn't she just meet a nice, smart boy of her age and fall in love with him instead of that damned anthropologist professor?   
  
..... Wait a minute......  
  
Holy Sweet Lord...  
  
Did she just...?   
  
Miranda stopped as he whole body froze and the adrenaline kept on running within her. Did she just... No, she couldn't possible be... it was just a stupid, simple schoolgirl crush, that was all. He was the only boy she spent her time with, it was normal if she felt something for him, very normal, but... love? It was just too strong, it couldn't be. She couldn't possibly feel that way for him, she couldn't. It just would mess everything up, it would... it would mess with their friendship...  
  
Wouldn't it?  
  
Miranda stared out in space unaware of the people passing by her, with no idea of the problems that odd beautiful brunette could be going through. "Jesus Christ," She mumbled softly to herself as a new wave of tears made their way out in spite of her attempts to stop them. Seeing she had no other alternative than to go to someplace empty otherwise she would embarrassed herself she commanded her body through the university crowd until she reached that quite, empty spot she always saw and no one ever used.   
  
She sunk heavily into the bench and bent forward, pressing her hands hardly to her face, trying to stop herself from crying, but failing miserably for as soon the tears were washing down her cheeks. All these mixed up feelings rushed throughout her body and she couldn't tell which one apart. Then somehow, all these thoughts entered her mind and flooded it so badly, that they cluttered together and she couldn't think at all anymore.   
  
Suddenly a small, unoisy sob escaped in between her lips making her surprised at how strongly she was feeling right now. This was so bad, so, so bad... how could she feel like that? How could she be crying over him like that? This kind of thing had never happened to her before, but then, she had never been in love before...   
  
Love... God, that was that word again. Now that she had thought about it, it wouldn't leave her anymore. It was floating around in her brain, rubbing itself on her face, laughing at her. Wasn't love supposed to be good? Why was she crying then? Oh yes, because she was scared again. She was freaked out he didn't love her back like she loved him.   
  
She loved him. It was so clear now.   
  
And so Goddamn scary.   
  
Then another sob followed the prior, but this time stronger. She took her hands from her face as a cold wind sliced through her making Miranda embrace herself, trying to warm herself up a little. And she stayed there like that, all curled up in that bench crying her heart out as no one seemed to noticed her break down.   
  
"Miranda!"   
  
She though she sensed him rather than heard. The soft melody of his voice reached her ears like an angel's song. She was so tired that she could have really mistaken him by an angel. She was still hurting. The pain lingered inside of her body. All in all, she felt the same all together. She had cried so much that her eyes were hurting and her head was pounding hard inside. She hadn't even noticed the time going by.   
  
"Miranda." He called again as though thinking she hadn't heard and afraid she would leave before he could reach her. Stopping near the bench and breathing hard to give his lungs the so necessary air he looked down at her still form smiling a bit in spite of him. "Thank God I finally found you. I've been looking everywhere..." But noticing she wasn't moving, that she hadn't even looked at him, Declan sat next to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, what is it?"   
  
Miranda sighed deeply and crossed her arms over her chest, protecting herself from the cold. "Just... just leave me alone, OK?" She whispered and her voice sounded so hurt and small that it made Declan's heart ache for her.  
  
He crept his arm around her shoulders and she shivered - from the cold or from his touch he couldn't tell but it hurt him that she'd possibly feel like she couldn't trust him, she couldn't open up with him, when, in the past, he had comforted her as she cried. He was sad at the thought she couldn't tell him her problems after...  
  
.... After Emma....  
  
Her name sadly crossed his mind and he sighed understandably. "Miranda..." He whispered softly, the meaning behind that crawled spoken word very obvious to her. She knew he wanted her to look at him, to tell him what was wrong, to let him be the good friend he's always been, but she couldn't face him. She couldn't just tell him what she felt, couldn't just do that if it meant risking their current relationship. When it came to that she was just a big coward.   
  
But she knew she was going to turn and face him eventually because she knew he would push her until she gave up, that's what Declan did, that's how he was, a pushy person. She would turn, but she didn't have to, for he did it for her; he placed a soft finger under her chin and gently moved her face so he could look at her, in her eyes.   
  
They were red - he couldn't help but notice - her normally deep blue eyes had adopted a bright red color and her nose only matched them. Her cheeks held a light shade of pink, but which he believed were because of the cold night wind. As soon as their eyes met, Miranda quickly looked down avoiding his piercing gaze. "Hey, what is it?" He asked softly. She sighed and shook her head in an attempt to let him know she didn't want to talk about it, but Declan was a pushy person, wasn't he? So he just pushed her a little more. "Come on, Miranda, talk to me, please."   
  
She shook her head faintly again. "Declan, please, just..." She whispered but her sentence was cut off by an uninvited sob that came rebely from the very bottom of her throat in the same time tears washed down her face. Looking at him only made her cry more.  
  
Startled by her attitude to say the least, he kept staring at her for a couple of seconds until his brain re-started working and sent messages through his body, making him envelope her in a warm embrace and let her cry silently as she buried her face in his warm neck. "Shhhh. It's ok."  
  
"No, it's not ok." Came her muffled and teary voice from where her face was buried.   
  
"Well, I noticed." Declan whispered and put both his hands on her face, pulling her softly from him so he could face her and look in her eyes again. They sat there just staring at each other, no one saying a single word, maybe waiting for the other to say something first. After a while Declan finally broke the silence when he felt Miranda trying to suppress a shiver. "Come on. Let's get out of here, you're freezing." And he didn't wait for her answer, he just stood and pulled her up with him, keeping his arm around her shoulders, keeping her as warm as he could and walked to his red truck.  
  
TBC.... :o]

Next is the last chapter.


	7. Part Seven

One Breath 7 To disclaimer and such see part one.

The walk to his car was made in complete silence. The only thing that proved Miranda was indeed there was the fact he had his arm around her waist, keeping her as warm as he could. He believed his touch was somewhat comforting for she was leant into him, her breath was calm and she seemed really tired.

Declan quickly looked over at her but the black velvet covering her head stopped him from seeing her face. She had unconsciously leaned her head on his shoulder, resting it softly on the warmth of his body. She was so worn out, not only physically, but mentally too. She was tired of thinking so much; of using her brain so much as she was using it. She was very good at math, at her classes of physics, quantum mechanics and all that stuff but when it came down to her feelings and her life she was just dumb, too stupid, she had no idea what to do.

She even thought she didn't want to need him like that, but it had been a long time, perhaps never, since she had needed anyone so much. Since a little girl she had learned to count on herself, to not need anyone as long as she could do anything by herself. She traveled so much that a long term relationship was something very hard to have, hard to find someone that would take care of you when you couldn't, good friends you could count on, you could trust with your life was something she had never had.

Until she met Declan.

He had contradicted everything she knew; all the way she had learned to live. With him she started to take her walls down, to let someone watch over her because she could let him. For the first time she had someone she could call best friend, she could tell people that he was her buddy, who she hang out with all the time. Sure, he was a professor and much older but Miranda never was one of befriending someone younger. She was just too mature for her own age and having friends with her own age was something hard to do. They were all still infantile, they wanted to have fun, to get into trouble doing something good, to not give a damn to the world. To just be a kid.

And Miranda was not like that. She was too smart for common people, the usual things of life were too easy for her and soon she got bored. Having Declan around was exactly what she needed; she had realized that after a while. He was always challenging her, making her think, use that intelligent brain of hers, always there for her, helping her, being her friend. And now it wasn't so strange that she would feel attracted for him. It'd be strange if she only saw him as a friend, as an older brother. He was the only close man in her life and falling in love with him was more than expected.

With him she had finally found a home, a place where she felt she belonged. And to tell the truth, she felt more at home now than when she was with her family. She loved her parents, of course she did, but the feeling she had living there, working with Declan and going to that university was much more like home than she had ever felt.

And that's why she couldn't lose it, no matter what. If she lost her home to where would she go?

As she saw the redness of the truck coming closer, Miranda sighed quietly, but not quietly enough for Declan heard and looked at her again, but didn't say anything. He kept on walking with her and when they had reached the passenger's door, Declan let go of her to open the door. "Here we go." He said, smiling at her and helped Miranda get inside.

"Thanks." She mumbled politely as she got inside.

Declan closed the door and hurried to the driver's side half worried that Miranda would take off while he wasn't there to stop her even knowing she wouldn't do that, not in the state she was in right now. He got inside and before turning the engine on he took a quick glance at Miranda, seeing the lines on her face, which weren't there before. He felt bad for here, all he wanted was to take all her pain away but he couldn't do that. He knew she was feeling like that because of their moment in his office but he just couldn't understand why it had affected her so much like that.

He would make sure to get all this straight. He would talk to her and get this over with, starting with telling her how he felt.

She let out a breath on the car window making a circled form of dull on the glass. The inside of the truck was much more warmer than the outside causing the steam to stay for a while before fading away. Miranda used her index finger to slowly draw a heart on the glass then stared at it for a couple of seconds before running two fingers over it, erasing the heart.

Sighing, she took her hand from the glass and leaned her head on it instead; resting her forehead on the cold surface and closed her eyes. But half second later she opened them again when she heard Declan's voice.

"Are you hungry?"

She looked over at him but quickly brought her eyes back to staring ahead. "Not really." She mumbled. 

Declan couldn't take it anymore. The entire ride was done in silence with no word from Miranda but her monosyllabic responses when he tried to start a conversation and now the only thing he got was a small mumble. He stopped his truck in the first empty space and turned to face her fully. She was staring puzzled at him as to why he had stopped. "Are you gonna tell me what the hell happened?"

The expression that appeared over Miranda's face made Declan think she'd cry again, but she didn't. She held on her attitude and crossed her arms. "Look, I told you, all right? There's nothing wrong. Nothing you should be worried about."

"Really? But the problem is I'm already worried, Miranda." He said with a soft, warm voice. So warm that it reached her very core and gave it a wonderful good feeling. It'd take so little to make her open up completely, to make her tell him 'I love you', but Miranda was strong, she had a good control over her emotions and that was the only reason she hadn't told him that already.

"Well, you shouldn't be."

"Can you just stop? I care a lot a bout you, how do you want me to see you suffering and not do anything?" He stopped and let out a breath, then went on, "Is this about what happened back in my office? Because if it is I think we should..."

"Oh god, no." She groaned more to herself than really to Declan. That was exactly what she didn't want to hear, what she didn't want to happen. She was sure he would tell her to forget about it, to pretend it didn't happen and if he did that then she would be even more hurt, that would be the last thing to finally break her heart into millions of pieces forever. "I don't want to hear it, OK? I really don't need that." And before he could say anything else, she opened the door and stormed out. She just needed to get out, to get away from him for a while.

She walked quickly away from the truck, her heart shattered. Suddenly she felt as if she had been pushed to the ground, as if someone had ripped her apart, knocked her right on the face. It was like someone stabbed her directly in the heart and then pulled it out, leaving her to bleed. She didn't feel alive anymore. She was terrified because she had never felt like that, like living didn't matter anymore. Did that feeling come with being in love? She whished she knew, she thought so because she always heard that love also brought a lot of pain and only now she understood why.

Then suddenly she felt her arm being pulled by strong hands. At first her brain wouldn't make sense of anything but after a while it stuck her that Declan had probably followed her out of the truck and now was there. And she was right for the hands turned her around so she was facing him. "Miranda, stop!" Declan said when she started to struggle out of his hold.

"Let me go."

"Stop it!"

"Let me go, damn it!" She said in an almost scream, but he didn't. He held her tighter showing her he wouldn't let her go so eventually she got the message and stopped struggling. When Declan believed he had her under control, he let go of her arms and brought his hands up, gently cupping her face in his hands.

"Look at me." When she didn't look up he moved her face so wanting it or not she'd have to stare at him. "God, Miranda, will you let me speak please?"

"Declan..."

"Just let me say what I want to say." He begged in a small whisper.

"If-if you want to-to forget what happened..." She whispered out, more tears coming down her face. If it was going to happen then she would make it quickly and less painful, not that she really believed there was a way to make all of that less painful. Hearing Declan say what she feared the most would hurt as much as he tried to make it easy on her. She would suffer just the same.

Declan breathed in deeply, thinking over what he would say. He rested his forehead softly against hers and closed his eyes, searching for the right words. But then that was Miranda; anything he chose to say would seem too simple, too silly. He wanted to make it easy, to impress her somehow, but he didn't know how. "No..." He whispered, deciding that just saying it out would have to do. "Don't you get it? That's the thing, I don't want to forget it."

She pulled back and stared at him with a disbelieving expression as she tried to process what he had said. "What?" She said with that same small voice she had greeted him that time she was in the hospital.

"I don't want to forget it." He said again, tightening his hands around her face, gently running his thumbs over her wet cheeks. "I have strong feelings for you, Miranda, and believe me, all I wanted to do was to kiss you."

"You... you have feelings... for me?"

"Yes." He nodded and smiled brightly, a part of him elated that he got Miranda stunned and so confused, something that rarely happened. "Yes." 

Her heart fluttered and all the feelings came rushing back to her, washing within her. He had actually said... God, she couldn't believe this. He had said he felt something for her that he didn't want to forget what happened. That rush of relief and happiness went through her. Was it real or was she hallucinating? She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on his again. That was really happening.

Then he pulled back again and let out a soft breath. He locked eyes with hers and a sweet smile crept up on his face. She had to say something, She had to tell him she felt that too, she wanted to say she loved him but she couldn't, it was at the tip of her tongue, but the damn thing just wouldn't come out, she was paralyzed.

"Me too." She finally whispered out.

A sweet, lovely smile crept up on his face and he shined it on her. He tilted his head, looking at her, then he leaned forward and she felt his soft lips press against her very own lips. She felt her heart flutter and her breath stopping. That was it, he was really kissing her, and she was really feeling that soft pressure she so much wanted to feel for so long.

She closed her eyes as soon as she felt his lips upon hers, feeling under the darkness the gently touch of his lips. It was very softly at first, lips against lips, just tasting, playing, teasing, feeling the texture of them, but then it got more intense when Miranda, wanting more, opened her mouth, allowing him to her, feeling their tongues play together.

Her head was spinning; her body was becoming limp. Feeling him like that was much more wonderful than she had ever dreamed before. He was so gentle, so suave, taking such sweet care of her that it amazed her. While he used his mouth to make Miranda feel like she had never felt before, his hands were caressing the skin of her face, cradling her head as if it was made of porcelain.

But soon the necessity to breath was becoming too strong to ignore and they had to pull apart, to break their contact, but it was only for a few seconds for as soon as Miranda got her breath back, she pulled him to her, claming his mouth again. He chuckled on her mouth, he couldn't stop it and she smiled right in the middle of the kiss.

"What?" She whispered as she took in small breaths when she pulled apart for the second time.

"It's just..." He started but stopped as his eyes froze on hers but instead of continuing his sentence, Declan just leaned in, kissing her again.

They pulled away later from the lack of air, but Declan kept his hands around her. Miranda put her arms around his shoulders, leaning into him, letting him embrace her in his warm arms. She closed her eyes as she rested her face on his shoulder, making sure to have her nose in his neck, just to feel his soft scent. This was so lulling, so comfortable; she could fall asleep standing in his arms at any minute if she let herself to do so. She felt so good in his arms; he sent her chills as his fingers touched the back of her neck. "I love you..." She whispered almost unconsciously as she tightened her arms around him and nuzzled his neck.

"What?" Declan asked with disbelief, stilling his hands from running up and down her back.

Miranda pulled back with a start, suddenly aware of what she had just said. Not that she didn't want to say that, but she just didn't know if he was ready to hear her saying so, to have such a responsibility over his shoulder. Especially without knowing if she'd hear the words back. "Nothing..." She murmured quickly, praying he hadn't heard the first time, but seeing his dumbfounded expression she was sure he had heard and now was trying to find a way to tell her something else without hurting her. "I-I... it just..." Her lower lip started to tremble and that expression of who was about to cry came on her face. "Oh, God, I can take it back." 

"Oh, Miranda..." He let out in a breath, smiling in spite of the situation. Then he brought his hands back to her face and made her look at him. "I don't want you to take it back. Never. I love you too."

"You do?"

"I do." He said, nodding vehemently. "I do." And then he kissed her again to ensure her of what he had said. Miranda had a serious problem of self-esteem and he really needed to work on that. She was a wonderful person and she should know that little fact. "You're an amazing, wonderful, incredible, smart, beautiful and loving person. There'd be something really wrong with me if I didn't love you."

That got a small smile from Miranda and she shone it to him through her tears. He was gazing deeply at her, making sure she'd receive the message and believe in it then, she burst into merry peals of laughter. And it was amazing because Declan couldn't remember of hearing Miranda giggling before, no, he was sure she had never giggled, not in front of him. That made him wish he had a camera right now to tape that and keep it with him forever so he could look at it and feel happy.

"That means you believe me?" 

"Yes." She said between her giggles.

"Good." He smiled too and kissed the top of her head, letting his lips linger on the softness of her hair for a few seconds before pulling away. "What about that food now?"

"Yeah, I'm starving." She answered smiling brightly at him then linked her arm through his as she pulled him back to his truck.

She ran her hand over the steam on the mirror and looked at her reflection. The woman staring back at her was eerily unfamiliar; the smiling face she saw just didn't seem to be hers. She was smiling from ear to ear and, God, she had never smiled so dumbly before; she hadn't even smiled so much. And thinking about that only made her smile even bigger.

She couldn't put in words how she was feeling because it was beyond human understanding; if she herself couldn't understand what she was feeling how she could even try to explain it? He just... he made her feel so good. He sent her heart skipping away in complete happiness and gave this electrifying shock that went through her entire body with just a simple touch from him. He made her know that there was something pleasant out there, something worthy; and not by telling her, but just by the simple presence of him. The way he looked at her with that look that nobody had ever given to her before that made her heart flutter.

She loved him for God's sake. That should be enough to make everything clear, loving someone meant accepting them no matter what, meant knowing all the good and the bad of this person but accepting them nevertheless. It didn't matter if Declan was pushy, or a slob, or scatter-brained, her heart didn't care about any of these things, it still felt for him all that powerful love she had never felt for anyone else. She didn't love him because of how he was, but in spite of it.

She stared at her expression for a while longer, just trying to erase that stupid smirk from her face, which wouldn't go away as hard as she tried to wipe it off. It was just there, stuck on her face and there was nothing she could do. Finally sighing in defeat, Miranda tightened the towel around her and stepped out of the bathroom, bracing herself against the lower temperature that a second later hit her still damp body.

She had said she loved him and her heart almost burst into million pieces of bliss when he said I love you back. She couldn't be happier.

Miranda let out a happy sigh as she walked slowly to her bedroom, a dumb smile still playing over her lips.

He looked up as soon as he heard the sound of his office door being closed soundly. He was ready to scold whoever had shut the door with such a hard thump but when his eyes met the light radiant azure he knew so well immediately his frown broke into a smile. "Hey."

"Hey." She smiled back with the same glow she had back in LA. It was like as if the simple presence of her being there was enough to lit the room, to make everything bright, as if the sunshine was in her smile. 

Declan got up almost immediately and walked to her direction, as she did the same, meeting half way. "I missed you." He said softly, bringing one hand up to gently cup her cheek and run a lazy finger over the softness of her skin.

The smile that broke across her face was nothing like anything she felt before. Her mouth was almost hurting for the move, but truth be told; she didn't care at all. Instead of answering him with a typical comeback, she just lifted her head and softly kissed him on the lips, which he quickly turned into a breath taking, world-shaking kiss.

Now, it seemed, life was starting to get better and better. Maybe now she'd have her chance of a perfect life that beautiful, amazing scenery that people only saw in movies. But without the horrible end those wonderful, Oscar worthy movies always have. She truly hoped without the teary saddening end. But she felt it; deep down that it was her time and that a suck ending would never come.

Fin

Clears throat too sappy? Too silly? Too dumb? Feedback would be appreciated 


End file.
